Friday, August 29, 2008

Website of the Week: Project Vote Smart

First, let me offer a quick apology to my friends outside of the U.S., since today's post doesn't apply directly to you. But for those of you voting in America's 2008 elections, please check out Project Vote Smart. This non-partisan organization has been around for over eight years, providing U.S. voters with information about their elected officials, including things like biographical data, voting records, endorsements, and interest group ratings. It's a great site to help you narrow down your choices, particularly if you have a specific issue that tends to drive your vote. I, for one, am partial to reviewing a candidate's positions on the environment.

One item I found interesting ... historically, John McCain was a big supporter of Project Vote Smart. I was disappointed to find that he hasn't filled out this election's Political Courage Test ... but, then, Barack Obama hasn't filled it out yet either.

Family-Friendly Science

Everyone starts out a scientist. When a small child asks "Why is the sky blue?" or "How do birds fly?", that is the start of scientific inquiry. Too often, science is taught in a way that is dull or exclusionary. I believe that science belongs to everyone.

Mama Joules

Science lover, Poet, Mom

I am a freelance writer, Maryland Master Naturalist, and poet with a professional and educational background in the environmental sciences.

I was carbon neutral for a day!

In December 2008, Brighter Planet donated one day's worth of carbon offsets in my name.

Cool Things I've Seen: Moreton Bay fig trees, Allerton Garden, Kauai

These trees were featured in the movie Jurassic Park. Their roots are taller than I am!

Fun Photos

Dr. Mom took this one. It makes us laugh!

Visit My Etsy Shop!

I use Statcounter to keep track of how many visitors I have had. Some data is collected about how you entered and left the site and which pages you visited. Please visit Statcounter for more details. Thanks! Since January 26, 2008, you are visitor number

Want to say hi?

I hope you enjoyed your visit here at Mama Joules. If you'd like to reprint a post or article, report a broken link, or just say hi, please drop me a line at jublke (at) gmail (dot) com. Thanks for visiting and come back soon! :)